As the desire for enhanced communication bandwidth escalates, transmission media need to convey information at higher speeds while maintaining signal fidelity and avoiding crosstalk, including alien crosstalk. However, effects such as noise, interference, crosstalk, alien crosstalk, and/or alien equal-level far-end crosstalk (“ELFEXT”) can strengthen with increased data rates, thereby degrading signal quality or integrity. For example, when two cables are disposed adjacent one another, data transmission in one cable can induce signal problems in the other cable via crosstalk interference.
One approach to addressing crosstalk between communication cables is to circumferentially encase one or more conductors in a continuous shield, such as a flexible metallic tube or a foil that coaxially surrounds the cable's conductors. However, shielding based on conventional technology can be expensive to manufacture and/or cumbersome to install in the field. In particular, complications can arise when a shield is electrically continuous between the two ends of the cable. The continuous shield can inadvertently carry voltage along the cable, for example from one terminal device at one end of the cable towards another terminal device at the other end of the cable. If a person contacts the shielding, the person may receive a shock if the shielding is not properly grounded. Accordingly, continuous cable shields are typically required to be grounded at both ends of the cable to reduce shock hazards and loop currents that can interfere with transmitted signals. Such a continuous shield can also set up standing waves of electromagnetic energy based on signals received from nearby energy sources. In this scenario, the shield's standing wave can radiate electromagnetic energy, somewhat like an antenna, that may interfere with wireless communication devices or other sensitive equipment operating nearby.
In order to address the limitations of continuous shields, segmented or discontinuous shields have been incorporated into certain cables. These segmented shields typically include metallic patches formed on a polymeric film, and electrical discontinuity (i.e., spaces or gaps) is maintained between the metallic patches. Thus, the patches function as an electromagnetic shield; however, it is not necessary to ground the shields during cable installation. In current segmented shield designs, the spaces or gaps between metallic patches may lead to electrical perturbations and decreased performance in the cable. In particular, electromagnetic signals may leak or pass between the metallic patches via the spaces or gaps. Additionally, the width and spacing of gaps in current shield designs typically allows signals at critical wavelengths to leak and cause noise during electrical transmission. Accordingly, there is an opportunity for improved segmented shields, methods or techniques for forming segmented shields, and/or cables incorporating segmented shields.